The present invention relates to the general field of cartop luggage carriers, and more specifically to those carriers used on commercial limousines carrying several passengers. The prior art in this field includes the following U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,317,534 Louw; PA1 4,345,706 Benit; PA1 4,354,625 Peoples; PA1 4,376,611 Koop; PA1 4,449,657 Moran; PA1 4,489,869 Weinhold.
Louw's device is an enclosed compartment, with sliding panels on one or both sides for access, and may contain internal partitions for compartmentalization. It mounts on a pair of transverse bars that are secured to the vehicle's roof gutters.
Benit's design utilizes a base, secured to the roof gutters, and a cover--essentially an inverted box--one edge of which is hinged to the base. The edge of the cover opposite the hinge is raised to allow access for loading. Variations in design allow for adaptation to vehicle tops of various lengths. There is no apparent means for supporting the cover in an open position while loading.
The Peoples invention is a rather sophisticated system of two transverse bars supported at the ends of two lengthwise triangular members. It appears costly to produce.
Koop's invention is a very specialized device, providing an enclosed storage compartment and an electrically powered winch to raise a wheelchair up and into the compartment. It is not adapted to the storage of conventional luggage items.
Moran's design provides two or more transverse support bars, each being secured to the roof gutters by sheet metal bracket components.
The Weinhold patent covers a toggle clamping device used in conjunction with commercially available cartop carrier bars. The clamps are used to clamp down and secure the article being transported--which must have a suitable flanged portion to accommodate the clamping function.
The present invention is primarily intended to be used on commercial limousines, which typically are elongated versions of a conventional automobile, and carry ten to twelve passengers and their luggage. A common application of these vehicles is the transporting of airline passengers to, from, and between major airline terminals. There is limited interior space for luggage, so most of these vehicles make use of some sort of cartop storage rack. Typically, such a rack consists of a shallow box, four to five inches deep, to hold the luggage items, which are protected from the weather by a cover made of canvas or like material. The canvas cover is secured in place over the luggage by a length of rope or shock cord around its periphery hooked under a series of hooks mounted on the outside surface of the shallow box.
Securing the cover at the point of departure of the limousine and removing it at the destination is a time consuming operation. It can be additional trouble if the limousine makes stops along the way to pick up or discharge passengers. Furthermore, the canvas cover, exposed to the elements, will in time deteriorate and exhibit a limited service life.
It is an object of this invention to provide a cartop luggage carrier, of particular value for limousine service, that permits easy access for loading and unloading.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a luggage carrier with a cover that has an improved service life. A further object is to provide a luggage carrier that is much more secure against damage and vandalism than the canvas covered types in general use.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a construction that will allow the display of advertising messages that can produce additional revenue for the limousine operators.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.